Communication – HumanManager Blog

Proven Model for Effective Feedback at Work

By Olakunle Yusuff

Effective feedback in the workplace is essential in fostering growth and improvement. You may wonder: What does a well-structured model for effective feedback look like? It includes critical steps that guide the sender and receiver toward a constructive and actionable outcome, especially in a multi-generational workplace.

Here’s a model with key steps that make feedback effective and supportive:

Ask Permission

Starting by asking permission to give feedback sets a respectful tone for the conversation. It allows the recipient to prepare mentally and foster a more open and receptive environment.

An example could be, “Do you have a few minutes to discuss the recent project?” This approach not only conveys courtesy but also increases the likelihood that the recipient will engage positively with feedback.

Timing is Important

Timing is crucial. Feedback is most effective when given soon after the observed behaviour or event, while details are fresh and relevant. Addressing the issue promptly shows that you value improvement and allows for more immediate corrective action if necessary.

Focus on Facts When Describing a Situation

Begin by describing the specific behaviour or situation objectively, without assigning blame or using accusatory language. Stick to the facts and avoid generalisations. For example, “In yesterday’s meeting, I noticed that the agenda was not followed completely, and we ran out of time for several key points.” This approach helps the recipient understand exactly what behaviour or outcome you are referring to.

Ask for Reflection

Asking the recipient to reflect on their actions/outcomes encourages self-awareness and ownership of the situation. A simple, “How did the meeting go?” allows them to share their perspective, which can provide insight and foster a collaborative atmosphere for problem-solving. This can lead to greater buy-in when discussing ways to improve.

Suggest Practical Steps for Positive Change

Offer constructive suggestions rather than imposing solutions. For instance, “One way to stay on track could be to set a time limit for each agenda item.” Providing suggestions keeps the tone supportive and shows that you’re invested in their success.

Brainstorm Alternatives

Involving the recipient in brainstorming alternative actions or strategies can make the feedback process more dynamic. Collaborate to explore solutions that align with the individual and organisation’s goals. This could be as simple as asking, “What other approaches could we try to keep future meetings on track?”

7. Encourage Accountability & Ownership

After discussing alternatives, confirm that the individual is committed to making the suggested changes. A straightforward question like, “Does this sound like a plan you can follow?” or “I am available anytime, just drop a message or a call” reinforces their accountability and builds a sense of ownership over the agreed actions

Agree on Follow-Up

To ensure progress, set a time to check in on the changes. “Let’s touch base in a week to see how things are going,” gives the individual a target to work towards and shows that you’re available for support as needed.

By following this model, feedback becomes a constructive, respectful, and action-oriented process that promotes continuous improvement and strengthens relationships.

Olakunle Yusuff is the Brand & Marketing Lead at HumanManager Limited. In this blog, he shares strategies for fostering open communication, building stronger teams, and driving workplace productivity through meaningful feedback.

7 Tips for Effective Team Meetings

Have you ever led or been in a team meeting that went off track? Or does it stretches too long and boring that you slowly lost interest? Of course, we know that feeling!

Team meetings are a great way to engage colleagues, share ideas, and encourage creativity but this won’t happen if your meetings are badly structured or colleagues perceive them to be unnecessary and ineffective.

We’ve got the following tips to guide you and make your meetings rewarding:

1. Plan Ahead – Keep your meeting on track

To avoid one-sided communication, you should share a brief or meeting agenda in advance with your team. Also, take note of important talk points, expected outcomes, and participants to attend, and choose the right time that suits every team member. This will help you evaluate the success of the meeting at the end.

2. Adopt relevant technology

Technology is ever-evolving. You can now enjoy great collaboration tools that will help increase the efficiency of your meetings – send messages, share files, set up online calls and more. Here at SystemSpecs, we use collaboration tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google suites, GitHub, and more. You should try it out too.

3. Be Time-conscious

When team members are late to meetings, it could result in unnecessary delays. There would be a need to recap and extend meetings to cover the agenda which will interfere with the meeting structure and possibly cause a ruckus. To avoid this, you need to set early attendance rules with reminders ahead of time to keep each member in check. Also, allocate time frames to the agenda outline for better time management.

4. Ask Questions

Be intentional about your team’s participation. The meeting has to be valuable to everyone, so questions should be asked to encourage discussions and input. This way you’ll keep your team members actively interested and involved in the meeting and also confirm they understand the purpose and outcome of the meeting.

5. Set Ground Rules

This might seem too serious but it’s incredibly important to set ground rules that would keep your team members in check to avoid interference that could cause delay or generally any problems. Rules like: camera switched off if it isn’t a video call, mic muted when not speaking, phones silenced, meeting expectations, no interruptions, and others as they apply.

6. Identify Meeting Patterns and Behaviours

If you’re going to change your old meeting patterns, you’ll need to observe your meeting patterns to observe what you think is wrong and also ask your team questions on what should be better improved to make the next meetings more effective. This will give you a better perspective on how the team feels and why they feel that way about your meetings.

7. Improve Each Week and Do a Follow-up

This is a brief check-up that will boost your meetings every time. Less than being told what to do, people love to feel valued and that you care about their wellbeing. It’s not just about checking task completion but also building relationships with your team and checking in on how they are faring, and also how they are coping with their assigned task.

You can ask questions like: What worked and what didn’t? Was the last agenda accurate and helpful? Was there any information we could have shared in another way?

NOTE: Always test whether you need a meeting before setting up one. Once you have established that, you can decide how to use these tips to hold your best meetings ever.

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